Floyd obituaries August 2, 2007

BRYANT ELLIS AKERS
FLOYD-Bryant Ellis Akers, age 50,  departed this life on Wednesday July 25, 2007 at Roanoke Memorial Hospital.
Survivors include: April Akers; son,  Shawn Akers; sister, Constance Shelton; brother, Dennis Akers.
Funeral service was held 1:00 p.m.  Tuesday,  July 31,  at the Maberry Funeral Home Chapel, Floyd, with Rev. Clinton Crump officiating.  Interment followed at Big Oak Cemetery.  Arrangements by Maberry Funeral Home, Floyd.

JAMES LOWELL ALDRIDGE

BENT MOUNTAIN-James Lowell Aldridge, beloved husband and father, 55, , went to be with the Lord, Saturday July 28, 2007.  He was preceded in death by his mother Elizabeth Aldridge, and his father-in-law: Thurman “Jack” Huff.
He is survived by: his wife of 35 years Emma Jean Aldridge; son,  Travis Aldridge and wife Lindsay, father,  James Aldridge and friend Jean Ferguson; mother-in-law,  Virgil Huff;  sisters,  Jennifer Aldridge and Ann Penn;  sister-in-law,  Janice Foro and husband Brad;  brother-in-law,  Marvin Huff and wife Becky; nieces and nephews,  Kelly Lewis, Vonda Dillon, Shana Roop, Bryan Nester & Taylor Penn;  four great nieces and nephews.
He was employed by Shenandoah Industrial Rubber Company in Roanoke.  He was a much loved and well respected servant of his community, an active member of Mt. Olivet Baptist Church and retired after 25 years of service with Bent Mountain Fire and Rescue.  He will be greatly missed.
Funeral service was held at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday,  August 1, at Mt. Olivet Baptist Church, Copper Hill, with the Rev. Greg Mills officiating.  Interment followed at Jacksonville Cemetery, Floyd.
Memorial donations may be made to Mt. Olivet Baptist Church, 9918 North Floyd Highway, Copper Hill, VA 24079, or contributions towards burial expenses can be mailed to Travis Aldridge,  158 Summit Way SW, Roanoke, VA 24014.
Arrangements by Maberry Funeral Home, Floyd.

PEGGY LYNNE VEST BOTT
CHECK-Peggy Lynne Vest Bott, age 48, of Check went to be with the Lord on Thursday July 26, 2007.  She was preceded in death by her husband: Donnie Bott, grandparents: Albert & Wildie Vest and Clarence & Elsie Dickerson. Those left to cherish her memory are: father and mother, Hampton and Louise Vest, Check; sisters and brothers-in-law, Kathy and Haden Dulaney, Floyd, Tammy and Donnie Hiatt,  Martinsville; brother, Kevin Vest; two “special sisters,”  Kim and Becky Gillespie; special aunt,  Edna Mae Sheppard
Peggy was a member of Crockett Springs United Methodist Church in Shawsville and loved all of her church family.  Her smiling face and courageous nature will be sadly missed by her family and friends.  The family wishes to thank Adventa hospice for their loving care of Peggy for the past few months, Jewel, Diane and Tina.
Funeral service was held at 11:00 a.m. Monday,  July 30,  at Crockett Springs United Methodist Church, Shawsville, with Rev. Terry Ross, Rev. David Dickerson and Rev. Brad Dulaney officiating.  Interment followed at Piedmont Cemetery.  Arrangements by Maberry Funeral Home, Floyd.

SAMUEL HASELL
WINSTON-SALEM, NC-An Officer and A Gentleman Samuel Mortimer (affectionately known as Sam) departed this life peacefully on July 26, 2007 in his home following a battle with brain cancer. Sam hailed from Charleston, SC and he embodied his southern, chivalrous roots.
He is preceded in death by his parents,  Samuel and Annie Hasell, sisters, Dickie Legare and Ann Hasell, brothers, Simmons Hasell, and his loving wife Lucy Hasell.
He is survived by:  sister, Jane L. Martin of East Stroudsburg, PA, and two daughters and sons-in-law, Janet and Charles Collins of Midway, NC and Lucy and Glenn Bultmann of Bakersfield, CA.
Sam’s southern heritage instilled in him the values of Christianity, family, education, hard work, perseverance and love of one’s country. He was active in ROTC through out his days at Clemson University and served with the Air Force during WWII. Sam joined the Air Forces reserves following his tour of active duty, and was a Lieutenant Colonel at the time of his retirement from military service.
Sam worked as a mechanical engineer through out his career, and his vocational placements included Grinell Industries, Tidewater Construction and Engineering and, lastly, a 27 year employment tenure with Burlington Industries in Greensboro, NC. Early in his career while on a business trip to Portland, OR, he meet the future love of his life, Lucy, who was then working as a flight attendant with Delta Airlines. After a one year courtship, the blissful couple wed, conceived two, adoring daughters, Lucy Bultmann and Janet Collins, and enjoyed 58 years of marital companionship.
After Sam retired from Burlington Industries, he and his wife built a home in the foothills of Southwest Virginia. They enjoyed 12 years of “almost heaven” in the rural landscape before returning to North Carolina to be closer to their youngest daughter Janet. Sam and Lucy purchased a home in Wallburg, NC and Sam lived there until he moved in with his daughter and son-in-law. He was a member of Oak Forest United Methodist in Winston-Salem, NC at the time of his death. Sam’s later years were characterized by civic and community projects, charitable acts and expressions of friendship in contrast to his earlier legacy of professional achievements.
Through out his life, Sam was many things to many people. He was academically and vocationally blessed, and he shared his blessings graciously. His network of friendships and associations was wide and varied and he touched many lives. For those of us who knew him, we will always be sadden by his departure; but, he will remain forever grateful for having experienced his love of life, his engaging conversations and humorous nature. Sam was an avid perfectionist; hence, it certainly seems fitting to herald his life with the epitaph of “Well Done My Faithful Servant”. 
A memorial service celebrating Sam’s life was scheduled for Monday, July 30,  at 2:00 pm at Oak Forest United Methodist Church in Winston-Salem, NC. The service was conducted by Revs. Jacqueline Tookey and Don Stansell officiating. Memorials be directed to Hospice of Davidson County, PO Box 1941, Lexington, NC 27293.

HOWARD WELDON HYLTON
FAIRLAWN-Howard Weldon Hylton, 86, passed away Monday, June 11, 2007 at his home. Howard, was a native of Floyd County, born August 11, 1920 at Willis. He was a World War II veteran serving in the 258th Combat Engineers of the U.S. Army in Rhineland, Central Europe.  Mr. Hylton retired from Hercules following 28 years of dedicated service. He attended Fairlawn Presbyterian Church where he was a member and former deacon and elder,  and a member of Virginia May Lodge #38 A.F.& A.M.
Survivors include: his wife of 65 years, Opal Shelor Hylton of Fairlawn; daughters and son-law, Patricia Jo Boone of Roanoke and Robin Ann and Brian L. Crews of Ashburn; brother and sister-in-law, Maurice and Betty Hylton of Riner; grandchildren, Todd Boone of Charlotte, North Carolina and Cale Boone of Roanoke; and four great-grandchildren.
Funeral service was held Wednesday, June 23, at 11 a.m. at the Fairlawn Presbyterian Church with the Reverend Terry Woodard officiating. Entombment followed the Highland Memory Gardens Mausoleum in Dublin where Masonic graveside rites were conducted. Contributions may be made to the Fairlawn Presbyterian Church, 6900 Pulaski avenue, Radford, VA 24141. Arrangements were handled by Mullins Funeral Home and Crematory in Radford. 

RICKY LEE PACETTI
ROANOKE-Ricky Lee Pacetti, 48, passed away Tuesday, July 24, 2007.
Surviving are his wife, Brenda G. Pacetti of Roanoke; mother and step-father, Gretta and Reggie Richardson of Copper Hill; daughter and husband, Tammy and Michael Yopp of Callaway; brother, Ricky Lee Pacetti, Jr. of South Carolina; grandchildren, Heather Yopp, Heather Ferris, Taylor Yopp, Jordon Yopp, Michael Yopp and Ricky Lee Andrews; sister, Susan Nichols; brothers, Willie Poff, Timothy Poff and Reggie Richardson, Jr. all of Roanoke.
Funeral was Thursday, July 26, at Wood Funeral Home with Reverend William N. Pagen officiating.

HILDA EVELYNE RUTROUGH
FLOYD-Hilda Evelyne Rutrough, 91, of Floyd passed away Thursday July 26, 2007.  She was born April 30, 1916.  She was preceded in death by her parents,  William and Doris Rutrough, sister, Alice Rutrough, and a brother,  Giles Lee Rutrough.
Survivors include: sister, Pauline Hylton, Willis; niece, Dr. Gale Hylton,  Palo Alto, CA; sister-in-law, Hazel Rutrough, Floyd; special care giver, Peggy Howell
Evelyne worked for the United States Postal Service for thirty-seven years.  She was a member of the Floyd United Methodist Church, the Daughters of the American Revolution and Floyd Historical Society.  She also did genealogical research for many people.
Funeral service was held at 3:00 p.m. Sunday,  July 29,  at the Maberry Funeral Home Chapel, Floyd, with Reverend Richard Gregory officiating.  Interment followed at Jacksonville Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family request donations be made to the American Cancer Society,  2200 Lake Blvd., Atlanta, GA 30319.
Arrangements by Maberry Funeral Home, Floyd.

SCOTT MICHAEL SLAYMAN
DUBLIN-Scott Michael Slayman, 53, passed away suddenly on Monday, July 23, 2007.
He was registered as an AMA and president of the New River Valley Aces. Scott was also a member of the Princeton Radio Control Society. Scott worked as a Computer Specialist for Montgomery County Schools.
He is survived by: his wife, Sissie E. Slayman; daughter, Catherine Victoria Slayman, of Dublin; mother, Mary Slayman, of Christiansburg; sister and brother-in-law, Virginia Ann Hollie and Andrew Lennox Barnes, of Jackson Pines, NJ; brother and sister-in-law, John Earl and Donna Kay Slayman, of Glenn Allen, VA; mother-in-law, Mae Dobbins, of Buckeye Lake, OH; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law, Ron and Debbie Alcorn, of Christiansburg,  Morgan and Regina Mullins, Skipper and Rocky Dobbins, both of Buckeye Lake, OH; several nieces, nephews, aunts and uncles.
Funeral mass was held at 2 p.m. on Thursday, July 26,
at St. Jude’s Catholic Church, Radford with Father Kenneth Shuping officiating. Interment followed in Sunset Cemetery, Christiansburg.
Arrangements were handled by Gardner Funeral Home, Floyd.

JOHN MORGAN SUTHERLAND, JR.
RINER-John Morgan Sutherland, Jr., better known as “The Strawberry Man”,  88,  passed away Friday July 27, 2007.  He was preceded in death by a granddaughter, Susan Roop.
Survivors include: son and daughter-in-law,  John W., III and Linda Sutherland, Riner; daughters and son-in-law,  Mary and Billy Underwood, Willis, Ruth and Shirley Boothe, Radford, Wilma Lee and Bill Simpkins, Dublin, Judy and Cecil Roop, Floyd; grandchildren,  John R. Sutherland, IV, David L. Altizer, Eva Harding, Lori Reed, Frank Boothe, Scott Boothe, Nancy Harman, Terry Osborne, Carla Vaden, Amy Shay, Kenny Roop; 24 great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren; special friend, Gene Dixon.
Funeral services were held at 4 p.m.  Tuesday,  July 31,  at Alum Ridge Community Church, with Rev. Eli Yoder officiating.  Interment followed at Alum Ridge Community Cemetery.  Arrangements by Maberry Funeral Home, Floyd.

ALBERT “BAY” WOODWARD
WILLIAMSBURG-Albert Woodward, 77, long-time Willis resident, passed away at his home in Williamsburg, Monday, July 9, 2007 surrounded by his family. He was preceded in death by his parents, George A. and Minnie Stallings Woodward, son, Stephen Everett Woodward, and brothers, George and Jim Woodward.
He was born June 5, 1930 in Bogulusa, LA. He graduated from Southeastern Louisiana University in 1951 with a degree in chemistry and mathematics. He married Janell Mayfield on August 10, 1952. He later earned his MBA from the College of William and Mary in 1977. He worked with the Dow Chemical Company in Freeport, TX, Plaquemine, LA and Midland, MI before settling in Williamsburg in 1967. Following early retirement, he worked at Al Hoty Establishment in Saudi Arabia for several years.
“Bay” played trombone in high school, college and Dixie Land jazz bands. He became a Cub Scout leader and advisor to several Boy Scout leaders. In Michigan, he enjoyed various roles in the local community theatre. He gave several speeches in the Toastmasters International Clubs.
He was an ardent supporter of education and was involved in the PTA at all of his children’s schools. He served as a Junior Achievement Coach. At the William and Mary School of Business he taught as an adjunct professor. He was a mentor and teacher to many people at home, in the community, and at work.
He derived great satisfaction in repairing all manners of things from sewing machines to bicycles to automobiles. He devoted several years to restoring an old farmhouse in the southwest Virginia mountain. Bay was often heard to say “If somebody else can build it, I can take it apart, fix it, put it back together again and make it work.”
He is survived by: his wife, wife, Janell; son David Woodward, daughters; ,Margaret Lee and Nancy Jeffrey;  grandchildren, Benjamin, Daniel, Sam, Suzy, and Sarah Lee, and Eleanor Jeffrey; siblings, Pam Augustine, Nell Traylor, Bill Woodward, all of Bogulusa Louisana, Don Woodward of Lake Jackson, Texas.
Burial was in the family plot in Bogulusa, LA on Friday, July 20.